Fujifilm Ultra Hybrid Pro: Automated Precision

Just when you thought you could not get bigger and quicker, Fujifilm comes along with the next version in its Acuity Hybrid range of printers – the Ultra Hybrid Pro, this time with the addition of full robotic automation.

The size of the machine alone is one of the most striking features of the printer, but the addition of the material handling system further enhances the opinion that this printer can handle significant amounts of substrate with ease.

The size of the machine is not the only striking feature, the Ultra Hybrid Pro continues with the technology which underpins the others in the range with Piezoelectric drop-on-demand inkjet heads with droplet volume between 3.5 to 14 picolitres of Uvijet inks.

The new machine comes with 5,312 nozzles per head and can deploy the standard process set of inks (CMYK) along with light cyan and magenta, should white channels be needed, this is possible as an option taking the total number of nozzles to 10,624.

The Ultra Hybrid Pro can print up to five layers giving depth and vibrancy on all substrates with the ability to have the image on the first and fifth layer being different adding a whole new aspect to the printed outcome.

The Uvijet inks use Fujifilm’s patented Micro-V dispersion technology which means the ink pigmentation is held in a stable condition through the ink, meaning it delivers high concentrations of colour and vibrancy. Each pigment particle, which can be as small as a human cell, is coated with a substance which actually causes each to repel the other in suspension.

The Ultra Hybrid Pro uses Fujifilm’s Micro-V dispersion technology in the inks for the printer with pigmentation particles as small as 0.2 microns

The outcome is each of the pigment elements does not start to collect and stick together. Fujifilm has the greatest number of patents than any other manufacturer and this results in some of the best colour quality outcomes of any printer you can buy.

The variety of products the Ultra Hybrid Pro can produce is vast and Fujifilm claims it is one of the most versatile machines available today. The combination of colour application and substrate means there is very little you cannot print. Whether you need double-sided printed signage, rigid Correx, or self-adhesive clear polypropylene, the application of the inks from the seven-litre containers means almost lithographic quality can be achieved.

As with most of the printers available today, the Uvijet inks are cured post-application with LED UV drying systems. This provides not only the ability to rely on the product to be dry on delivery, but if you are printing on more delicate plastics, for instance, there is no heat build up causing the product to be distorted or damaged. Further, energy use on the Ultra Hybrid Pro is low as LED curing systems do not require the same levels of energy as older Mercury lamp systems.

Moving Materials

The hybrid nature of the Ultra Hybrid Pro means it can handle both reel and flat board, but by using the word ‘handle’ this doesn’t mean it is not done with ease. What adds to the latest of the series is automation of the process meaning one person can print full-size pallet to pallet production without physically moving a sheet.

The media transport system throughout the machine has been designed with the operator in mind. The media tension roller adjustments are on both sides of the machine meaning regardless of where you stand, you can make the adjustments required.

Should thinner materials be the order of the day, the input media roller can be adjustable both up and down to ensure the tension on the reel-to-reel substrate is kept at an optimum – flat and wrinkle free.
The printer comes with aluminium media shafts either 3.3 metres long or if required, two 1.6 metres wide for dual reel operation. An additional function of the dual reel option is a special airshaft allowing two reels of the same substrate but different diameters to be used in production at the same time.

Built to Cope

When you are printing on materials that are up to 3.3 metres wide, this starts to put designers under real pressure to ensure the machine is durable and stable enough. If you are deploying ink droplets as small as 3.5 picolitres, then the smallest deviation of the printhead halfway across the pass will alter the printed outcome significantly.

So, it is no surprise the Ultra Hybrid Pro weighs in at 8,300kg and this is due to the substantial steel construction of the internal framework of the printer.

This delivers rigidity and stability for the printhead as it moves from side to side and this in turn ensures there is no vibration to either deflect or distort the ink droplet.

As for the moving of the printhead itself, most manufacturers use belts or gear drives to drive it from side to side. The weight of the printheads is not light and this can provide challenges in itself. Fujifilm has opted for an upscaled drive mechanism in the form of a linear motor.

This provides a number of advantages. They are friction-free meaning there are no moving parts to affect the printhead placement and due to this, the speed of movement is up to 1900mm per second making it one of the fastest on the market. A further advantage of the linear motor feeds back into the fact it has no moving parts, this ensures that no vibration feeds back into the head which could affect ink droplet presentation.

Making Life Easy

As stated before, the operator has been considered in all aspects of the Ultra Hybrid Pro, the operation panels are placed on both sides of the printer meaning you do not need to be walking for ever to make minor adjustments for production. Added to this, the GUI produced by Fujifilm is intuitive and easy to use.

Scoping the whole machine, it cannot be ignored that the Ultra Hybrid Pro is a large machine capable of handling large cumbersome sheets, but due to the detail designed into the machine by Fujifilm, the operation is simplicity itself. If large-scale production is your market and you have floor space, the Ultra Hybrid Pro could well be the answer to your question, ‘What machine do I need?’.

Statistics

Media width 3.3 metres
Print size (max) 3.3 metres
Inks CMYK, Lc, Lm (white optional)
Resolution 1,200 x 1,200dpi
Production speed (max) 600m2/hr or 218m2/hr roll to roll
Printheads Kyocera KJ4A (up to 16)

Brian Sims Principal Consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu